Round 12 · 1981

Circuit Park Zandvoort

Zandvoort, Netherlands · August 30, 1981 · Circuit History · Wikipedia

Kings of this circuit
The race, in perspective

Race debrief

What did we expect after qualifying—and who beat it?

R121981
Share this debrief
Preview share card ↗
30 stored results 30/30 Elo snapshots 24/30 numbered grid slots 0/30 qualifying results
Elo × qualifying → race result

Did they beat the expectation?

A strong driver recovering from a poor qualifying position isn't automatically a surprise. This model estimates a finish from both inputs, then compares it with what happened.

Experimental · v1

Expected finish assumes a classified finish. DNFs stay in the full grid but receive no performance verdict. Qualifying is not the starting grid; grid differences are flagged, not silently substituted.

This race has insufficient earlier history: 0/20 races and 0/200 classified finishes with Elo and qualifying. Estimates are withheld.

0/30 entrants have an estimate. Missing Elo or qualifying stays visible below; a grid position is not used as a qualifying result.

Top 3

Beat the estimate

No comparable estimates available for this race yet.

Flop 3

Below the estimate

No comparable estimates available for this race yet.

0/30 entrants assessed. Up to three per side, ranked by expected minus actual finish. DNFs, missing estimates and gaps rounding to 0.0 are excluded. “Flop” means below the model's estimate—not poor driving. A ranked gap can still be inside the usual error range.

Full grid: pre-race Elo rank, qualifying position, estimated finish, actual result and difference from expectation. Positive differences mean finishing ahead of the estimate.
DriverPre-race EloQualifyingExpectedResultP1 ← position → P30vs expectedReading
A. ProstRenault #122226 No error range P1 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. PiquetBrabham #42401 No error range P2 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. JonesWilliams #62347 No error range P3 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
H. RebaqueBrabham #102254 No error range P4 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. de AngelisTeam Lotus #72346 No error range P5 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. SalazarEnsign #262000 No error range P6 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
S. StohrArrows #242035 No error range P7 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. SurerTheodore #152180 No error range P8 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. AlboretoTyrrell #252020 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
S. BorguddATS #202084 No error range P10 Not assessedQualifying unavailable
M. AndrettiAlfa Romeo #92278 No error range DNFAccident Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. WatsonMcLaren #32453 No error range DNFIgnition Not assessedQualifying unavailable
E. CheeverTyrrell #132217 No error range DNFSuspension Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. JarierOsella #82333 No error range DNFTransmission Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. ArnouxRenault #52359 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
B. GiacomelliAlfa Romeo #172165 No error range DNFTyre Not assessedQualifying unavailable
J. LaffiteLigier #12465 No error range DNFCollision Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. ReutemannWilliams #22457 No error range DNFCollision Not assessedQualifying unavailable
R. PatreseArrows #162172 No error range DNFSuspension Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. DalyMarch #192104 No error range DNFSuspension Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. PironiFerrari #112231 No error range DNFCollision Not assessedQualifying unavailable
N. MansellTeam Lotus #232061 No error range DNFEngine Not assessedQualifying unavailable
P. TambayLigier #212084 No error range DNFCollision Not assessedQualifying unavailable
G. VilleneuveFerrari #142189 No error range DNFCollision Not assessedQualifying unavailable
A. de CesarisMcLaren #182125 Grid unnumbered No error range DNSWithdrew Not assessedQualifying unavailable
B. HentonToleman #291779 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
K. RosbergFittipaldi #222061 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
C. SerraFittipaldi #271931 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
B. GabbianiOsella #281801 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
D. WarwickToleman #301751 Grid unnumbered No error range DNQDid not qualify Not assessedQualifying unavailable
How useful is the model? See the historical check

There is not enough earlier history for a rolling hold-out check yet.

The range scales the 80th percentile of earlier held-out absolute errors to this field size, rounding outward. It is an empirical error guide, not a guaranteed 80% chance for a particular driver. We require at least five checked races and 100 checked finishes before showing it.

Inputs are field-normalised Elo rank and qualifying position. The target is position among all race entries, trained only on classified finishers. Estimates are averages, not a unique predicted finishing order. Penalties, the circuit, weather, incidents and strategy aren't model inputs. Historical qualifying coverage is patchy; this is an exploratory backtest on corrected records, not proof of live forecasting accuracy.

The rating ledger

What changed in Elo?

These are actual rating changes. The expectation model above does not change Elo or fantasy scoring.

Largest Elo gain

Salazar+107.1 Elo

Largest grid-to-finish gain

Salazar+18 places

The bigger picture

Championship after this round

Top five in the stored standings. Points include sprint results where applicable.

  1. 1 Piquet 45pts +1
  2. 2 Reutemann 45pts −1
  3. 3 Laffite 34pts 0
  4. 4 Jones 31pts 0
  5. 5 Prost 28pts +2

Movement since round 11. A dash means the earlier standing is unavailable.

Explore the season →
Across the garage

Teammate results

Two-driver constructor entries from this race. A result comparison, not an adjustment for strategy or reliability.

Renault

ProstP1+89.3 Elo
ArnouxDNF−41.2 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Arrows

StohrP7+92.5 Elo
PatreseDNF−25.7 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Osella

JarierDNF−28.4 Elo
GabbianiDNQ−22.2 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

Ligier

LaffiteDNF−75.7 Elo
TambayDNF−32.9 Elo

Non-finish recorded; no finishing gap comparison.

What this analysis can—and cannot—tell you

This debrief is calculated from stored results and rating snapshots. The experimental expectation model learns from earlier races only, using Elo rank and qualifying together; it never feeds back into Elo. It is not a separately reviewed race report.

Elo uses the result order, including retirements. It does not isolate driver skill from the car, reliability, penalties or strategy. Elo seed comparisons use pre-race ratings, never today's ratings. Equal ratings share the midpoint of their rank range (for example, tied first and second become seed 1.5).

Grid gains use numbered starting slots and classified finishes only. Zero or missing grid values are excluded; a position gained is not necessarily an overtake. Qualifying gaps use the latest segment both teammates have a valid time for, never Q1 against Q3.

Lap-by-lap pace, tyre stints, pit-stop execution and safety-car effects are not available in this report. Missing data is omitted, not inferred.

Read the Elo methodology →
30
Result Entries
Avg Elo
Highest Elo (Piquet)
21
Non-finishes

Race

Qualifying

# Driver Grid +/- Points Season Pts Season # Elo Change Elo
P1 🇫🇷 A.Prost 1 +9 28 P5 +89.3 2,315
P2 🇧🇷 N.Piquet 3 +1 +6 45 P1 +43.0 2,444
P3 🇦🇺 A.Jones 4 +1 +4 31 P4 +46.9 2,394
P4 🇲🇽 H.Rebaque 15 +11 +3 11 P9 +61.0 2,315
P5 🇮🇹 E.de Angelis 9 +4 +2 10 P12 +32.8 2,379
P6 🇨🇱 E.Salazar 24 +18 +1 1 P20 +107.1 2,107
P7 🇮🇹 S.Stohr 21 +14 0 0 P22 +92.5 2,127
P8 🇨🇭 M.Surer 20 +12 0 4 P15 +50.7 2,231
DNF 🇮🇹 M.Alboreto 25 0 0 P26 +81.4 2,102
P10 🇸🇪 S.Borgudd 23 +13 0 1 P19 +59.6 2,144
DNF 🇺🇸 M.Andretti 7 0 3 P16 +5.5 2,284
DNF 🇬🇧 J.Watson 8 0 21 P7 -38.1 2,415
DNF 🇺🇸 E.Cheever 22 0 10 P11 +5.8 2,223
DNF 🇫🇷 J.Jarier 18 0 0 P21 -28.4 2,304
DNF 🇫🇷 R.Arnoux 2 0 11 P8 -41.2 2,318
DNF 🇮🇹 B.Giacomelli 14 0 0 P25 -2.6 2,162
DNF 🇫🇷 J.Laffite 6 0 34 P3 -75.7 2,389
DNF 🇦🇷 C.Reutemann 5 0 45 P2 -81.5 2,375
DNF 🇮🇹 R.Patrese 10 0 10 P10 -25.7 2,146
DNF 🇮🇪 D.Daly 19 0 0 P23 -16.3 2,087
DNF 🇫🇷 D.Pironi 12 0 7 P13 -54.6 2,177
DNF 🇬🇧 N.Mansell 17 0 5 P14 -20.5 2,041
DNF 🇫🇷 P.Tambay 11 0 1 P17 -32.9 2,051
DNF 🇨🇦 G.Villeneuve 16 0 21 P6 -65.7 2,124
DNS 🇮🇹 A.de Cesaris 0 0 1 P18 -57.0 2,068
DNQ 🇬🇧 B.Henton 0 0 0 P35 +2.0 1,781
DNQ 🇫🇮 K.Rosberg 0 0 0 P27 -56.2 2,005
DNQ 🇧🇷 C.Serra 0 0 0 P24 -35.9 1,895
DNQ 🇮🇹 B.Gabbiani 0 0 0 P32 -22.2 1,779
DNQ 🇬🇧 D.Warwick 0 0 0 P36 -23.1 1,728

Qualifying results are not available for this race.

Elo Changes